Cops and Courts: Jan. 10, 2013: School sheds broken into in Santa Cruz

Two sheds were broken into at Mission Hill Middle School on Monday night or early Tuesday morning, according to Santa Cruz police.

Someone pried a hinge off a wooden door and stole a stationary bike worth about $400, said Santa Cruz Deputy Police Chief Steve Clark. The bike was noticed missing about 7:30 a.m. Tuesday. Someone also broke in to an empty shed.

Police are investigating a burglary at an office building at 340 Soquel Ave. in Santa Cruz.

An acupuncture business, attorney's offices and therapists' offices are in the two-story building.

A flooring crew worked there Dec. 31, said Santa Cruz Deputy Police Chief Steve Clark. Someone apparently left a door open and items were taken that night or early Jan. 1, police said. Two laptop computers and at least two keyboards were taken, police said.

The five people charged with beating a man to death in November are due back in court Jan. 23 to set a preliminary hearing date.

Shaelyn Zeanne Gonzales, 21; Michael Valgene Hudson, 41; Jason Michael Weiland, 31; Tina Anderson, 43; and Jeremiah James Long, 26, are charged with first-degree murder for the death of Charles Robert Powers. They appeared in court Wednesday for what was originally scheduled as a setting date. Instead, defense attorneys asked for more time because they are still receiving recordings of interviews with their client from the prosecutors.

Weiland initially refused to waive time, demanding his preliminary hearing be held within 10 days of Wednesday's court appearance but he eventually agreed to wait. He and Anderson both cried as they sat in the court wearing their jail-issued clothing. A handful of family members attended the proceeding.

Police found 51-year-old Powers dead late on Nov. 16 near a homeless encampment in Santa Cruz. An autopsy determined he died from blunt force trauma after being hit over the head with a skateboard and having rocks thrown at him.

Prosecutors also have charged Long with assault with a deadly weapon, which in this case they say was a skateboard.

LA SELVA BEACH

La Selva Beach woman, pets escape kitchen fire

A La Selva Beach woman and her dog and cats escaped from a blaze that started in her kitchen Wednesday morning.

About 10:40 a.m., a woman was in her bathroom at 40 Lilly Way when she heard a smoke alarm, said Aptos/La Selva Fire Capt. Greg Hansen.

She accidently left a pot on the stove with grease in it and it caught fire, firefighters said. The fire spread to a wall behind the stove and cabinets above it.

The woman called 911 and left with her single-story home with her pets. No one was injured.

Firefighters arrived and doused the fire in fewer than 5 minutes, Hansen said. The fire was contained to the kitchen but there was smoke damage elsewhere in the home, firefighters said.

Firefighters estimated $10,000 in damage. Cal Fire also responded to the call.

LIVE OAK

Probationer caught with stolen SUV

A 21-year-old Santa Cruz man was arrested after he tried to flee from a stolen sport utility vehicle early Wednesday morning.

About 2:05 a.m. near Morrissey Boulevard and Fairmount Drive, a deputy checked a license plate of a Honda CRV, said Deputy April Skalland.

The plate was reported stolen and the deputy stopped the driver, Skalland said.

The driver, Juan Carlos Lara, then ran from the Honda. He was caught after a brief chase. No one else was in the vehicle.

The Honda had been reported stolen from Los Gatos and contained an iPod that belonged to the Honda's owner, Skalland said. The Honda also contained 0.2 grams of meth, a meth pipe and pepper spray, according to deputies.

Lara has a suspended driver's license and was on probation for a felony vehicle theft conviction, Skalland said. He was arrested on suspicion of possession of stolen property, possession of drugs, possession of drug paraphernalia, being a felon in possession of pepper spray and driving with a suspended license, according to records.

He remained in Santa Cruz County Jail in lieu of $25,000 bail Wednesday night, according to jail records.